Carton and blank for forming



y 14, 1964 H. R. HALL ETAL 3,140,811

CARTON AND BLANK FOR FORMING Filed Aug. 24, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORJ HARE/s ON A. HALL 4 34; LEW/6 FEE/)5 Arron/vs) United States Patent Office 3,140,811 Patented July 14, 1964 3,140,811 CARTON AND BLANK FUR FORMING Harrison R. Hall, 21 Morningside Drive, Painted Post, N.Y., and Lewis F. Rees, Canal St, Big Flats, N.Y. Filed Aug. 24, 1962, Ser. No. 219,186 6 Claims. (Ql. 229-39) This invention relates to improved carton or container structure and the blank for forming same, and more particularly to a completely self-contained mailable carton provided with a concealable or foldable carrying handle and positive-locking closure flaps.

In the past, it has been necessary to either bind cartons to be mailed with metallic straps, cords, and the like, or to seal such cartons with adhesives or tape in order to insure that the carton remained closed during transit. This not only materially increases the cost of shipping and necessitates time-consuming preparation, but also is extremely cumbersome and burdensome, especially when the ultimate consumer is the individual who has to prepare the cartons for mailing.

In addition to the convenience offered by packaging consumer items in a readily mailable carton, it is also desirable for consumer appeal, particularly when packagin frangible, bulky, or semi-heavy consumer items, to offer a carton which may be easily carried by the con sumer from the retail shelves. To fulfill the latter requirement it is of course necessary to provide the carton with carrying means, such as a handle portion. However, in order to achieve the former requisite of mailability, it is not only necessary that the handle be foldable or concealable within the package for mailing, but also that the end closures be positively locked so as to prevent accidental opening of the carton when in the mail or while being carried.

Ease of carton assembly from the blank, such as when packaging the consumer item, must also be taken into consideration, and accordingly, the use of costly and time consuming adhesives or tapes for sealing the bottom end closure is undesirable. Further, since the consumer may desire to either personally carry the carton or inspect the contents thereof before depositing it in the mail, it is apparent that a destructible or one-use sealing means such as adhesive or tape could not feasibly be utilized to secure the top closure members in a positive locked position.

Basically our invention relates to an easily assembled mailable carton which may be conveniently hand carried, wherein the carton is provided with a self-locking bottom end portion and a positive locking top end portion, both of which may be secured in a closed position without the aid of binders, adhesives, or tape. In addition, the top end portion is provided with a carrying handle which is normally folded or concealed within the carton for facilitating the stacking or mailing of such carton.

It thus has been an object of our invention to provide an improved readily mailable carton having a concealable handle means for facilitating the hand carrying thereof.

A further object of our invention is to provide an easily assembled carton having a bottom end portion provided with self-locking closure flaps.

An additional object of our invention has been to provide a positive locking but readily openable carton which is suitable for mailing, as is, without requiring the utiliaztion of adhesives, tapes, or binding means.

A still further object of our invention has been to provide an improved blank for forming an easily assembled mailable carton provided with concealable carrying means.

An additional object of our invention has been to provide a carton having improved top closure flaps which may be positively locked or secured in a closed position with a carrying handle in either an extended carrying position or a folded or concealed mailable or stacking position.

These and other objects of our invention will be more apparent to those skilled in the art from the following disclosure and accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a blank for forming a carton embodying our invention.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a carton embodying our invention and formed from the blank shown in FIGURE 1, illustrating the top end portion in a closed position with the handle portions in their extended or carrying position.

FIGURE 2a is a fragmental perspective view of a carton embodying our invention showing the closure flaps of the top end portion in a partially closed position with the handle in its extended carrying position.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a carton embodying our invention showing the bottom end portion in a closed locked position; and

FIGURE 3a is a fragmental perspective View showing the closure flaps of the bottom end portion in a partially closed position preparatory to securing them in their locked position.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly FIG- URE 1, a blank 10 is shown for forming our improved carton. The blank 10 includes a rear panel 21, side panels 31, 51, a front panel 41, and a glue flap 11. The panels 21, 31, 41, 51 and flap 11 are separated by crease or score lines 22, 32, 42, and 52, respectively. An outer end closure flap or lid 23 is formed integrally with rear panel 21 and separated therefrom by a crease or score line 24. Inner end closure flaps 33, 53 are formed integrally with side panels 31, 51 respectively and separated from such panels by creases or score lines 34, 54.

The outer end closure flap 23 is provided with a tongue or lip 12 at its outer end, connected to the flap 23 by means of an intermittent crease or fold line 13. A pair of spaced apart backward C-shaped cuts 14, such as knifecuts, are formed along the crease 13. The longitudinal portion of cuts 14 is slightly oil-set with respect to the crease 13 so that they form an opening 14 when the tongue 12 is folded downwardly along fold or crease line 13 (see FIGURE 2a). A perforated strip 15, which may be punched out to form a longitudinal slot 15 (see FIG- URE 2a) is formed in the outer end closure flap 23. A

small perforated tab 16 may also be formed along one edge of the end closure flap 23, and have the price of the item packaged within the carton printed thereon. Accordingly, if the consumer desires to purchase the item as a present, he may easily remove the price thereof from the package by merely tearing out the perforated tab 16. The front panel 41 is provided with a pair of projections, spaced apart along one edge thereof, which form a pair of locking tabs 17. A pair of cuts 18 extend each of the locking tabs 17 into the front panel 41. The tabs are each provided with deep scores 19 which facilitate easy manipulation thereof.

Each of the inner end closure flaps 33, 53 is provided with a C-shaped cut 60 and a diagonal cut 61 forming a handle portion 62 and locking flange 65. The base of each handle portion is provided with a score or crease 63, so that when desired the handle portion 62 may be bent upwardly at approximately to the plane of the closure flap from which it is formed. A recessed portion 64 is provided in each of the inner closure flaps 33, 53 so that the flaps will not interfere with the locking tabs 17 when they are in their locked position within the opening 14' formed by the knife cuts 14.

A slotted lower end closure flap 25 is formed integral with rear panel 21 and separated therefrom by means of a crease or score-line 26. End closure flaps 35 and 55 are formed integral with side panels 31 and 51 respectively and separated from such panels by crease or score lines 36 and 56. A tongued end closure flap 45 is formed integral with front panel 41 and separated therefrom by means of a score or crease 46.

The end closure flap 25 is provided with a squashed T-shaped slot 27 having a short stem portion 28 forming edge or corner portions 29 where it intersects the longitudinally extending portion. The closure flaps 35, 55 are provided with a diagonal edge 37, 57 respectively. The diagonal edges 37, 57 are so formed that when the end closure flaps 3555 are in their closed position, a portion of each of the diagonal edges will overlie one of the corner portions 29. The end closure flap 45 has a locking tongue portion 47 at its outer end, connected to a diverging inner end portion 48 by means of recessed catch portions 49, which cooperate with the stem portion 28 of slot 27 to lock the lower end portion in its closed position.

In assembling a carton from the blank 15, the various panels 21, 31, 41, 51, and glue flap 11 are folded into a tubular configuration along creases 22, 32, 42, and 52. A suitable adhesive or glue is applied along the glue flap 11 which is then secured to an inner surface edge portion of the rear panel 21. The bottom closure flaps forming the bottom end portion of the carton are then assembled into a closed and locked position as shown in FIGURES 3 and 3a.

Slotted end closure flap 25 is first folded inwardly along score line 26 to an angle of about 90 with the rear panel 21. End closure flaps 35 and 55 are then folded inwardly along score lines 36 and 56 respectively, so as to lie adjacent flap 25, wherein diagonal edges 37 and 57 each extend across one of the corner portions 29. Tongued flap 45 is then folded inwardly along crease or score 46, depressing flap 25 inwardly until the locking tongue portion 47 enters the longitudinal section of T-slot 27, at which time the resiliency of the score line 26 snaps the flap 25 outwardly until it abuts end flaps 35, 55.

Since the diverging inner portion 48 of flap 45 overlies the outer end of flaps 35 and 55, these flaps limit and restrain the outward movement of flap 25. Further, the recessed catch portions 49 of flap 45 cooperably engage the side edge portions of the stem portion 28 of slot 27 and lock the bottom end portion in a closed position. Since the tongue portion 47 is extended outwardly beyond the recessed portions 49, the bottom closure portion of the carton is, in eifect, self-locking, and the flap 45 cannot slip out of the slot 27 in flap 25. Accordingly, any outward force exerted on the bottom or closure end portion of the carton, such as by the merchandise packaged therewithin, actually increases the degree of locking effected by the lower end closure flaps.

After the lower end portion of the carton has been assembled as previously described, and merchandise positioned therewithin, the upper closure flaps are then folded into a positive locked position, which is suitable for mailing, without requiring additional adhesives, binding, or tape. Inner closure flaps 33 and 53 are first folded downwardly along score or crease lines 34 and 54, respectively so as to overlie each other and form an angle of approximately 90 with their respective side panels. Tongue 12 of outer end flap 23 is then folded along score line 13 so as to form an angle of approximately 90 with the plane of flap 23, and the flap is folded along score line 24 to form an angle of approximately 90 with the rear panel 21. During the downward movement of outer end closure flap 23, the tongue 12 is positioned within the carton adjacent the upper portion of the inner surface of panel 41. When tongue 12 is folded along crease line 13, the backward G-shaped cuts 14- produce open portions 14 which, when the outer flap or lid 23 is in its closed position, extend forwardly of the carton.

The locking tabs 17 are then folded along their scores 19, and positioned through the open portions 14 to positively lock the outer end closure flap or lid 23 in a closed position. The recesses 64, formed in the inner closure flap 33 and 53, permit the insertion of the locking tabs through the open portions 14 without interfering with the flaps 33 and 53. When the carton is assembled in such a closed and locked position as heretofore described, it may be easily stacked upon another such carton or sent through the mail without requiring additional locking or securing media.

If a purchaser should desire to carry the package, he would merely open the upper closure portion 23 by removing locking tabs 17 from open portions 14', and extend the concealed or folded handle portions as shown in FIGURES 2 and 2a. The perforated strip 15 is punched out forming elongated slot 15'. With the inner end closure flaps 33 and 53 in an inclined position, the handle portion 62 formed therefrom, are folded along their crease or score line 63 leaving the locking flange 65 projecting outwardly beyond the handle portion. 62 in the plane of the end closure flap. The flaps 33 and 53 are then brought downwardly into the plane of the top of the carton and the locking flanges 65 are overlapped with one projecting through the opposite handle portion.

The outer closure iiap or lid 23 is then folded downwardly and the handle portion 62 direct through the open portion 15'. The tongue 12 is positioned within the carton adjacent the inner surface of the front panel 41 and the locking tabs 17 positioned within the open portions 14 to securely lock the lid. Due to the binding action of the overlapping locking flanges 65 and the overlying outer end closure flap 23 locked in position over the innor closure flaps 33 and 53 by means of locking tabs 17, the handle portion 62 is securely locked in such a manner so as to adequately support the carton and the contents packaged therewithin. Further, due to the selflocking eifect of the bottom closure portion, the weight of the contents within the carton increases the locking effect produced by the bottom end closure flaps.

Although we have disclosed out now preferred embodiment of our invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A carton having an improved self-locking end closure portion which may be easily assembled into a closed and locked position solely by manipulating its end closure flaps formed in the carton blank which comprises; a plurality of opposed wall panels forming a multi-sided tubular configuration; means for closing one end of said tubular configuration; a plurality of interlocking end closure flaps for locking the opposite end of said tubular configuration in a closed position which includes; a slotted end closure fiap formed integrally with one of said side wall panels, a tongued end closure flap secured to a second side wall panel opposite said one side wall panel, and a pair of diagonally-cut end flaps secured to side wall panels intermediate said one and second side wall panels; a closed-sided T-shaped slotted portion formed in and surrounded by said slotted end flap with the stem portion of said T-shaped slotted portion extending toward said one side wall panel; said diagonally-cut end flaps overlying portions of said slotted end flap; said tongued end flap having an outer tongue portion connected to an inner diverging portion by means of recessed catch portions; said tongue portion being positionable within said T-shaped slotted portion with the diverging portion of said tongue end flap overlying outer ortions of said diagonally-cut end flaps to retain them in position, and said catch portions cooperating with wall portions of the stem of said T-shaped slotted portion formed in said slotted end flap to securely lock said tongued end flap within said slotted portion.

2. A carton having a front panel, a rear panel, a pair of side panels, closure means at its upper end and improved self-locking bottom end closure means which comprises, an inner closure flap formed integrally with said rear panel and separated therefrom by means of a core line, a T-shaped slot formed through and bounded by said inner closure flap with a stem portion thereof extending from the upper cross-bar portion toward said rear panel, a pair of side flaps formed integrally with said side panels and separated therefrom by score lines, each of said side flaps being positionable over portions of said inner closure flap with a diagonal edge thereof extending across the upper cross-bar portion of said T- shaped slot at the intersection with its stem portion, a locking flap secured to said front panel and separated therefrom by means of a score line; and said locking flap having an outer locking tongue portion positionable through the upper portion of said slot and retainable therein by means of recessed catch portions formed adjacent said tongue portion and cooperable with bounding wall portions of the stem portion of said slot, with a base portion of said flap overlying end portions of said side flaps to lockably secure all of the flaps of said bottom end closure means in a locked position.

3. A one-piece blank for forming a carton having a positive-locking upper end portion with concealable handle means and a self-locking lower end portion which comprises, four aligned panels and a glue flap separated by four substantially parallel crease lines, the first of said panels having a crease line at opposite edges thereof connecting an upper outer end closure flap and a lower slotted end closure flap thereto, said upper outer end closure flap having a tongue portion formed integrally therewith and separated therefrom by means of a crease line, said lower slotted end flap having a closed-sided T-shaped slot formed therein oriented with the stem of the T extending toward said first panel, the second and fourth of said panels each having a crease line along opposite ends thereof connecting an upper end closure flap and a lower diagonally-cut end closure flap thereto, the third of said panels having at least one projection extending outwardly from one edge thereof forming a locking tab and a crease line along an opposite edge connecting a lockable lower end flap thereto, said lockable lower end flap having an expanded outer locking tongue portion connected to a diverging base portion by means of a pair of recessed catch portions, and means foldable with said upper closure flaps to form a carrying handle portion.

4. A blank as defined in claim 3 wherein said upper end closure flap is provided with perforated strip means which is removable to form a slotted portion to cooperably receive and position said carrying handle portion therethrough.

5. An improved mailable carton having a self-locking bottom end closure and a positive-locking top end closure provided with concealable carrying handle means which comprises, a plurality of side wall panels, a plurality of interlocking bottom end closure flaps formed integrally with said side wall panels and separated therefrom by fold lines, one of said bottom flaps having a T-shaped slot formed therein with the stem portion of such slot extending from its upper cross-bar portion toward the side wall panel to which said one bottom flap is integrally formed, a second bottom flap formed integrally with a side wall panel opposite that panel to which said one bottom flap is formed and having an outer locking portion cooperable with said slot to lock all of said bottom closure flaps in a closed position; an upper outer lid having a tongue portion at its outer end foldable along a crease line with respect to said outer lid, a pair of open portions formed along said crease line when said tongue portion is folded therealong, a perforated strip formed in said outer lid removable to form an elongated slotted portion, said outer lid being foldably secured to one of said wall panels, a pair of locking tabs formed integrally with and extending outwardly from one edge of a second wall panel opposed said one wall panel, a pair of side end flaps each foldably secured to a wall panel intermediate said one and second wall panels, said end flaps being foldable so as to overlie one another, a recessed portion formed in each of said end flaps in alignment with said locking tabs when said end flaps are in an overlying position to facilitate the entrance of such locking tabs through said open portions, said outer lid being foldable over said overlying end flaps with the tongue portion thereof positioned within the carton adjacent an inner surface of said second wall panel, said locking tabs positionable within said open portions to positively lock said lid and end flaps in a closed mailable position, and each of said end flaps having a handle portion formed therewithin foldable from a concealed position in the plane of said end flap to an upright carrying position projecting through said elongated slot formed upon the removal of said perforated strip to thus form a carrying handle to facilitate the carrying of such carton.

6. An improved mailable carton whose end portions may be assembled into a closed and locked position solely by manipulating the blank forming such carton which comprises, a rear panel, a front panel, a pair of side panels, a slotted flap secured to the lower end of said rear panel and having a closed-sided T-shaped slot formed therein and bounded thereby, said slot having a stern portion extending from an upper cross-bar portion toward said rear panel, a pair of diagonally-cut end flaps secured to each of said side panels and foldable so as to overlie portions of said slotted flap, a locking flap secured to the lower end of said front panel having an outer projected locking portion extendable through said T-shaped slot with a diverging base portion overlying portions of said diagonally-cut flaps so as to lock the bottom flaps in a closed position; an outer flap formed integrally with an upper portion of said rear panel, said outer flap having a tongue portion secured thereto and foldable along a crease line, at least one open portion formed along said crease line, a pair of upper end side flaps foldably secured to the upper end of each of said side panels, said upper end side flaps foldable so as to lie substantially along the upper edge of said panels, said outer flap being foldable over said upper end side flaps with the tongue portion thereof positioned within the carton adjacent the inner surface of said front panel, at least one locking tab formed integrally with said front panel and positionable within said open front portion to positively lock the upper flaps in a closed position, and a recessed portion formed in at least one of said upper end side flaps to cooperably receive and facilitate the insertion of said locking tab through said open portion when in its locked position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,331,754 Wohlers Oct. 12, 1943 2,675,168 Clark Apr. 13, 1954 2,713,965 Acker July 26, 1955 2,974,852 Huss et al. Mar. 14, 1961 2,987,235 McCallum June 6, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 638,470 Great Britain June 7, 1950 1,008,399 France Feb. 20, 1952 

1. A CARTON HAVING AN IMPROVED SELF-LOCKING END CLOSURE PORTION WHICH MAY BE EASILY ASSEMBLED INTO A CLOSED AND LOCKED POSITION SOLELY BY MANIPULATING ITS END CLOSURE FLAPS FORMED IN THE CARTON BLANK WHICH COMPRISES; A PLURALITY OF OPPOSED WALL PANELS FORMING A MULTI-SIDED TUBULAR CONFIGURATION; MEANS FOR CLOSING ONE END OF SAID TUBULAR CONFIGURATION; A PLURALITY OF INTERLOCKING END CLOSURE FLAPS FOR LOCKING THE OPPOSITE END OF SAID TUBULAR CONFIGURATION IN A CLOSED POSITION WHICH INCLUDES; A SLOTTED END CLOSURE FLAP FORMED INTEGRALLY WITH ONE OF SAID SIDE WALL PANELS, A TONGUED END CLOSURE FLAP SECURED TO A SECOND SIDE WALL PANEL OPPOSITE SAID ONE SIDE WALL PANEL, AND A PAIR OF DIAGONALLY-CUT END FLAPS SECURED TO SIDE WALL PANELS INTERMEDIATE SAID ONE AND SECOND SIDE WALL PANELS; A CLOSED-SIDED T-SHAPED SLOTTED PORTION FORMED IN AND SURROUNDED BY SAID SLOTTED END FLAP WITH THE STEM PORTION OF SAID T-SHAPED SLOTTED PORTION EXTENDING TOWARD SAID ONE SIDE WALL PANEL; SAID DIAGONALLY-CUT END FLAPS OVERLYING PORTIONS OF SAID SLOTTED END FLAP; SAID TONGUED END FLAP HAVING AN OUTER TONGUE PORTION CONNECTED TO AN INNER DIVERGING PORTION BY MEANS OF RECESSED CATCH PORTIONS; SAID TONGUE PORTION BEING POSITIONABLE WITHIN SAID T-SHAPED SLOTTED PORTION WITH THE DIVERGING PORTION OF SAID TONGUE END FLAP OVERLYING OUTER ORTIONS OF SAID DIAGONALLY-CUT END FLAPS TO RETAIN THEM IN POSITION, AND SAID CATCH PORTIONS COOPERATING WITH WALL PORTIONS OF THE STEM OF SAID T-SHAPED SLOTTED PORTION FORMED IN SAID SLOTTED END FLAP TO SECURELY LOCK SAID TONGUED END FLAP WITHIN SAID SLOTTED PORTION. 